Rotunda (script)

The Rotunda is a specific medieval blackletter script.

It is thought that this variant form of that letter was originally devised either to save space while writing on expensive parchment or for aesthetic reasons.

There is a form of Italian blackletter known as rotunda, as it was less angular than in northern centres.

The most usual form of Italian rotunda was littera bononiensis, used at the University of Bologna in the 13th century.

Italian rotunda also is characterized by unique abbreviations, such as q with a line beneath the bow signifying "qui", and unusual spellings, such as x for s ("milex" rather than "miles").